NGS Announces Winner of the Filby Award

National Genealogical Society Announces the Winner of the

Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) is pleased to announce that Susan Kaufman, manager of the Houston Public Library’s Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, is the winner of the NGS Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship. The award, along with its $1,000 prize, was presented to Kaufman today at Librarians’ Day, an event held a day in advance of the NGS 2019 Family History Conference in St. Charles, Missouri.

Created in 1999 by NGS, the award is named for the late P. William Filby, former director of the Maryland Historical Society and author of many core genealogical reference tools that genealogists have relied on for decades. It is presented annually at the NGS Family History Conference and has been sponsored by ProQuest and William Forsyth since 2006.

In 2005, Kaufman was appointed manager of the Clayton Library. Previously, she held positions as a genealogy librarian at the Peoria Public Library in Peoria, Illinois, and the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. During her tenure, the Clayton Library has become one of the finest genealogy libraries in the nation with some 100,000 research volumes, 3,000 periodical titles, and an extensive microfilm collection. It also is a FamilySearch affiliate library, which allows patrons to access extensive genealogical records held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A respected librarian, presenter, and administrator, Kaufman regularly lectures at community, statewide, and national events. She has served on the boards of many genealogical organizations, including the Texas State Genealogical Society and the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS). During the nomination process, patrons, colleagues, and volunteers offered tributes that tell the story of a generous and skilled researcher who is always willing to help other family historians.